Plane lands safely in Sparks field

An experimental plane landed safely on a Sparks soybean field after experiencing loss of power on Dec. 15.

An experimental plane landed safely on a Sparks soybean field after experiencing loss of power on Dec. 15. (Submitted photo)

Pat van den Beemt, pvdb@comcast.net

An experimental plane landed safely on a Sparks soybean field after experiencing loss of power on Dec. 15.

Baltimore County police and Maryland State police responded to a report of a plane down on Cold Bottom Road in Sparks around 12:15 p.m., said Greg Shipley, state police spokesman.

Shipley said they found a 1996 Rans S experimental light plane sitting in the field. Pilot Peter Stern, 51, of Baltimore, and passenger Ricardo Velez, 58, of Abingdon, were not injured and the plane was not damaged, he said.

"The first thing I knew about it was police cars screaming up the driveway," said Chuck Ensor, who owns Cold Bottom Farms where the plane landed. "For most of the time, I stood outside directing police and the fire departments to the field."

Ensor said this isn't the first plane to land in his field. He said there have at least two other similar incidents, both without injuries.

Shipley said the Federal Aviation Administration was notified and after FAA personnel arrived at the scene, they gave the pilot permission to take off. He said the plane's home base is Shoestring Airport in Shrewsbury, Pa.